Hose and hose storage arrangement for a portable dishwasher

ABSTRACT

A portable dishwasher has a generally planar hose storage space in which the supply and drain hose therefor are stored in generally serpentine form to permit pulling the hoses out for connection to a water supply and drain location, with at least one of the hoses having a cross-sectional configuration of generally elliptic or flattened form oriented with respect to the other hose so that one of its flatter sides is in facing relation to the opposing wall of the other of the hoses.

United States Patent 1191 11 1 3,710,819

Williamson 1 1 Jan. 16, 1973 54] HOSE AND HOSE STORAGE 2,544,120 3/1951 Wolfe ..137/355.26 x ARRANGEMENT FOR A PORTABLE 2,544,1 19 3/1951 Wolfe ..137/355.26 X 2,544,121 3 1951 Wolfe et al ..137/355.26 x

DISHWASHER 3,300,910 1/1967 Isaac ..137/355.26 x

[75] Inventor: Hugh C. Williamson, Columbus, 3,391,875 7/1968 Hamrick IN/355.23 X Ohio 3,456,807 7/1969 Martiniak ..137 355.17

[73] Assignee: gestlinghguze Electric Corporation, Primary Examiner samuel Scott ms mg Att0rneyF. H. Henson and E. C. Arenz [22] Filed: Nov. 10, 1970 21 Appl. No.: 88,379 [57] ABSTRACT A portable dishwasher has a generally planar hose storage space in which the supply and drain hose lll therefor are Stored in generally serpentine form to Field 18 355 19 permit pulling the hoses out for connection to a water 137/355 20 21 supply and drain locat1on, with at least one of the hoses having a cross-sect1onal conf1gurat1on of generally elliptic or flattened form oriented with respect to the other hose so that one of its flatter sides [56] References Clted is in facing relation to the opposing wall of the other UNITED STATES PATENTS of e oses. 3,461,906 8/1969 Eckerle ..137/355.17 7 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 36 i E: 38*? 42 11- i I 1 40 I 2 s PATENTEDJAN 16 1975 FIG. 2

FIG.

HOSE AND HOSE STORAGE ARRANGEMENT FOR A PORTABLE DISHWASHER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention:

The invention pertains to the art of hoses and hose storage arrangements for a portable dishwasher.

2. Description of the Prior Art:

Portable dishwashers of the prior art have always used, so far as I know, both a drain and a supply hose of a round configuration in cross section. These hoses are usually fastened together adjacent the bottom of the dishwasher at a location relatively close to their ends which are respectively connected to a supply valve and a drain valve and are also typically connected together in a fitting adapted to be releasably secured to a water supply tap and which directs the drain water down into the sink below the tap. Ordinarily, no particular difficulties is experienced in pulling the hoses out into an extended position from the cabinet for attachment to the water tap. However, it is frequently somewhat difficult to force the hoses together back into the cabinet into the stored position in which the hoses are disposed in contiguous relation and in a generally serpentine configuration. It is my opinion that this difficulty arises from the drain hose pushing against the fill hose and hence the hoses tend to move toward side-by-side positions as well as developing friction through their contact. In the limited width space desirable for hose storage in current dishwashers, the climbing of one hose upon the other toward a sidewise relationship, instead of a single planar aligned relationship, results in friction between the walls of the storage space and the rubber hoses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with my invention, the difficulty experienced in returning the hoses to their storage position can be greatly reduced by providing at least one of the hoses with a cross-sectional configuration of a generally elliptic or flattened configuration as distinguished from a round or circular cross-sectional configuration. With this arrangement that hose tends to bend so that its axis remains in the vertical plane it occupied before bending, and so the hose tends to remain in that plane rather than sliding to the side of the other hose. As currently contemplated, it is preferredthat the drain hose be of the flattened cross-sectional configuration while the water supply hose be of the conventional circular cross-sectional configuration.

DRAWING DESCRIPTION P16. 1 is a partly broken side view of a portable dishwasher embodying my invention; and

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view corresponding to one taken along the line ll-II OF FIG. 1.

The invention is illustrated as being incorporated in a portable dishwasher of front loading type. The general structure of the dishwasher includes an outer cabinet which includes a top wall 10, rear wall 12, front wall 14 and a left side wall 16, which is mostly broken away in FIG. 1. The dishwasher tub which is nested within the cabinet, is provided with an open front which is adapted to be opened and closed by the swing-down door 18 hinged adjacent its lower edge in conventional fashion.

The tub includes a left-side wall 20 which is spaced inwardly from the cabinet side-wall 16 to provide a front-to-rear and vertically disposed hose storage space 22 between the walls. This hose storage space is of a generally planar nature in that it is relatively narrow so that it does not rob any more tub capacity than is necessary. The hose storage space accommodates the supply (i.e. fill) hose 24, the drain hose 26, as well as means for aiding the hose in being channeled into its looped or serpentine storage orientation.

The guide means may take various forms and, as illustrated in the drawing, takes the form of an extended area plastic sheet 28 of lightweight construction which may be vacuum formed to include embossments which form the guides. The lower guide 30 is generally caneshaped in outline while the upper guide 32 is arcuate in outline. One end of both the fill hose 24 and the drain hose 26 is connected in sealing relation to the fitting 34 of a generally conventional nature. The fitting is adapted to be releasably connected to a water supply tap and has interior construction directing water flowing into its upper end into the fill hose 24, and water passing into the fitting from the drain hose 26 downwardly into the sink usually underlying the water tap. At a location near the other end of the drain and fill hoses, a strain relief clamp 36 secures the hoses to the tub supporting structure 38. The ends of the hoses opposite the fitting ends are connected to the solenoid control fill valve 40 and the drain valve (not shown) associated with the motor-pump assembly 42.

In accordance with the invention, at least one of the hoses has a generally elliptic or flattened cross-sectional configuration in its unstressed condition. In the currently preferred form, of the invention, only the drain hose 26 is ofaflattened cross-sectional configuration since I find that this adequatelyca rrie's' out the aims of the'invention and is considered to be less expensive than providing both of the hoses with a flattened cross-sectional configuration. In that connection it is noted that the fill hose is typically subjected to pressures well above that to which the drain hose is subjected. Accordingly, to provide the required strength against bursting, the fill hose is of the conventional braided circular construction, a circular construction providing the maximum strength against bursting and deformation, and the braiding providing the usual reinforcement.

The drain hose 26 may be formed of extruded EPT rubber. The proper interior cross-sectional area of the drain hose may be readily calculated in accordance with the amount of water to be discharged in a given time through the drain hose (such as 2 9% gallons per minute and a half) and the wall thickness is empirically determined by providing sufficient wall thickness that it does not collapse or kink when the hoses are either recessed into the storage space, or extended outwardly therefrom to any degree. In other words, all portions of the drain hose should maintain a relatively smooth curve regardless of how far the hoses are extended out of the storage space, up to their full extension.

As shown, when the hoses are in their stored position, they are contiguous with each other throughout at least the major portion of their lengths. While FIG. 1 shows a short length adjacent the fitting 34 extended outside the storage space 22, it will be appreciated that the fitting 34 normally fits in the fitting recess 44 at the upper left rear corner of the dishwasher. It is not necessary with the arrangement according to the invention to use any means to maintain the contiguous relationship of the hoses between its strain relief point 36, and the fitting connection 34.

In use, the hoses are manipulated in the usual fashion. When the fitting 34 is pulled out to fully extend the hoses, the relatively large loop facing forward in the storage space is straightened out so that the hose simply runs directly up from the strain relief 36 and out through the fitting box 44. Then when the hoses are returned to the storage space, the lower guide 30 induces the first break or curvature in the lower part of the hose so that the forward facing large loop is again initiated, with the upper guide 32 aiding and channeling the hoses into a smooth arc therealong.

While the terms elliptic and flattened have been used to describe the currently preferred cross-sectional configuration of the hose or hoses to be used in accordance with the invention, it will be appreciated that other non-round cross-sectional hose configurations may be used so long as the hoses have the characteristic that in imposing a compressive force upon the hose to effect bending of the hose, the hose bends in a direction generally parallel to the plane in which it lies as the compressive force is imposed thereon to effect the bending. Thus, other cross-sectional configurations may be used, such as a generally figure eight so that a part of the periphery of a round fill hose may nest with the drain hose, or a half figure eight with an opposite flattened side, or a mostly round outline with a chordal flat. It is also contemplated that a generally round hose may be provided in which either one side or opposite side walls are thinner than the adjoining walls so that the desired controlled bending is achieved.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a portable dishwasher having a generally planar hose storage space in which sufficient fill hose and drain hose is stored in generally parallel, stacked relation and serpentine form to permit the extension of a part of the length of said hoses out of said space for connection to a water tap, a hose arrangement in which at least one of said hoses has a cross-sectional configuration of partly flattened form oriented with one of its flatter sides in facing relation to the opposing wall of the other of said hoses, each said hose having a length such that in its fully stored position its longitudinal axis is adapted to occupy a single plane in said storage space.

2. A dishwasher according to claim 1 wherein:

said partly flattened form comprises a generally elliptic form oriented with its major axis, as viewed in cross section, in an approximately right angle, nonintersecting, relation to the longitudinal axis of the other of said hoses.

3. A portable dishwasher according to claim 1 wherein:

said generally planar hose storage space has a width limited in dimension relative to the cross-sectional dimensions of said hoses that said hoses in a sideby-side relation across the width of said storage space exceed the width of said storage space.

4. In a dishwasher according to claim 1 wherein:

said fill hose and said drain hose are connected at their one end to a fittin holding said hoses in immovable relation to eac other; and at a location adjacent the opposite end of said hoses, said hoses are secured to said dishwasher in immovable relation to each other.

5. In a portable dishwasher according to claim 1 wherein:

said one hose having said partly flatted cross-sectional configuration in said drain hose, and said fill hose has a generally round cross-sectional configuration.

6. In a portable dishwasher having a relatively narrow, generally planar hose storage space in which sufficient fill hose and drain hose is stored in generally contiguous, parallel, stacked relation and serpentine form to permit the extension of a part of the length of said hoses out of said space for connection to a water tap, a hose arrangement in which at least one of said hoses has a cross-sectional structure weaker in flexure in one direction than a direction lateral to said one direction, said one hose being oriented in said storage space with said one direction being generally aligned with the plane of said space so that in imposing a compressive force on said one hose to effect bending of said one hose, said one hose bends in said one direction and generally parallel to the plane in which it lies as said compressive force is imposed thereon to effect said bending, each said hose having a length such that in its fully stored position its longitudinal axis is adapted to occupy a single plane in said storage space.

7. In a portable dishwasher according to claim 6 wherein:

said cross-sectional structure comprises a non-round configuration. 

1. In a portable dishwasher having a generally planar hose storage space in which sufficient fill hose and drain hose is stored in generally parallel, stacked relation and serpentine form to permit the extension of a part of the length of said hoses out of said space for connection to a water tap, a hose arrangement in which at least one of said hoses has a crosssectional configuration of partly flattened form oriented with one of its flatter sides in facing relation to the opposing wall of the other of said hoses, each said hose having a length such that in its fully stored position its longitudinal axis is adapted to occupy a single plane in said storage space.
 2. A dishwasher according to claim 1 wherein: said partly flattened form comprises a generally elliptic form oriented with its major axis, as viewed in cross section, in an approximately right angle, non-intersecting, relation to the longitudinal axis of the other of said hoses.
 3. A portable dishwasher according to claim 1 wherein: said generally planar hose storage space has a width limited in dimension relative to the cross-sectional dimensions of said hoses that said hoses in a side-by-side relation across the width of said storage space exceed the width of said storage space.
 4. In a dishwasher according to claim 1 wherein: said fill hose and said drain hose are connected at their one end to a fitting holding said hoses in immovable relation to each other; and at a location adjacent the opposite end of said hoses, said hoses are secured to said dishwasher in immovable relation to each other.
 5. In a portable dishwasher according to claim 1 wherein: said one hose having said partly flatted cross-sectional configuration in said drain hose, and said fill hose has a generally round cross-sectional configuration.
 6. In a portable dishwasher having a relatively narrow, generally planar hose storage space in which sufficient fill hose and drain hose is stored in generally contiguous, parallel, stacked relation and serpentine form to permit the extension of a part of the length of said hoses out of said space for connection to a water tap, a hose arrangement in which at least one of said hoses has a cross-sectional structure weaker in flexurE in one direction than a direction lateral to said one direction, said one hose being oriented in said storage space with said one direction being generally aligned with the plane of said space so that in imposing a compressive force on said one hose to effect bending of said one hose, said one hose bends in said one direction and generally parallel to the plane in which it lies as said compressive force is imposed thereon to effect said bending, each said hose having a length such that in its fully stored position its longitudinal axis is adapted to occupy a single plane in said storage space.
 7. In a portable dishwasher according to claim 6 wherein: said cross-sectional structure comprises a non-round configuration. 